'Law & Order' star Sam Waterston 'drunk' on freedom after decades on hit show

"Law & Order" star Sam Waterston reflected on leaving the hit crime procedural 30 years after his start.

During a Wednesday appearance on "Today," the 83-year-old actor explained that he felt "fine" about stepping away from his role as District Attorney Jack McCoy, whom he first began playing in 1994 during "Law & Order's" fifth season. 

Waterston portrayed McCoy until the series finale in 2010. In 2022, he returned to reprise his role in the NBC revival of the original show after making occasional guest appearances as McCoy in other series in the "Law & Order" franchise.

"I knew I was going to leave when I came back, and it was just a matter of when," Waterson said. "This was a beautiful way to go, I have to say."

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"Law & Order" star Sam Waterston reflected on leaving the hit show. (Scott Gries/NBC via Getty Images)

Waterston's final episode airs on Thursday, and the actor has seemingly ruled out making another return to the franchise.

"I don't think you're going to see Jack," he said. "Well, maybe you'll see a picture of him somewhere!"

Waterston earned three Emmy Award nominations for his performance as McCoy during the original show's run, receiving nods in 1997, 1999 and 2000. In 1995, he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for best actor in a television series – drama. He won a SAG Award for his portrayal of McCoy in 1998.

Waterston portrayed McCoy in over 400 episodes of "Law & Order."  (Will Hart/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)

Waterston has played McCoy in over 400 episodes since making his debut as the character. During his appearance on "Today," the Massachusetts native recalled his last day on set and marveled over how long he had been a part of the show.

"Twenty-five or 30 years gets your attention," he said. "When they said goodbye to me, the last shot that I did was on the set of the courtroom, and ["Law & Order" creator] Dick Wolf showed up and everybody gave speeches."

"And I quoted from, Abraham Lincoln going to [Washington] D.C. at the beginning of the Civil War. That he had been there for 25 years. If 25 years doesn't matter, nothing matters."

The actor appeared in his last episode on Thursday. (Will Hart/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)

Waterston also shared his thoughts on "Scandal" alum Tony Goldwyn replacing him as the show's new district attorney. 

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"I think he's going to be great," Waterston enthused. "You know, my reputation is in terrible danger, because I think he's just going to be wonderful and I'll be watching."

"It's going to be big trouble," he added. "It'll be what the DA is: demanding... and a lot of fun to watch."

"Scandal" alum Tony Goldwyn will be replacing Waterston as the new district attorney. (Jason Mendez/Getty Images for BAFTA)

When asked if he was retiring, Waterston replied, "Not on your Nelly!"

"Not a chance. No, no, no," he emphasized. "My wonderful manager, Keith Addis, and my fabulous wife are in charge of finding my next job. I'm not worrying about it. And that is the most liberating thing."

"I can't tell you how freeing it is," he continued. "It happened the minute I was walking off the set of the courtroom on that last day. Suddenly, there was space in my head that I didn't even know there was that had been occupied by the job. Forever!"

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"Even during hiatus, even on breaks," Waterston added. "It's a wonderful thing to look through the world from somebody else's eyes, and that's what an actor sort of gets to do. But it's also restricting."

"Now it's my own eyes. I like it."

Waterston said that he's "drunk on just the freedom" after leaving the show. (Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Waterston went on to say that he wasn't entirely sure what was next for him.

"I'm a little bit drunk on just the freedom," he admitted.

When asked if he had a bucket list, Waterston said, "If it's a bucket list, it's a million miles long." 

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"There's so much," he continued. "One of the things is that real life just came flooding in a way that I had just had no idea that it was going to be like that."

Waterston also expressed his gratitude to his "Law & Order" fans.

"Thank you all very, very much for watching patiently all over all these years while I have not gotten tired of acting," he said. "You're beautiful. Thank you."